Child Support Add-Ons

Child support add-ons are part of Family Code sections 4061 through 4063. In particular,

California Family Code section 4062

(a) states that “The court shall order the following as additional child support:

• Child care costs related to employment or to reasonably necessary education or training for employment skills.
• The reasonable uninsured health care costs for the children as provided in Section 4063

(b) The court may order the following as additional child support:

• Costs related to the educational or other special needs of the children.
• Travel expenses for visitation.”

Child support add-ons are separated into two categories (mandatory and discretionary). Child support add-on are expenses that are incurred for the benefit of the minor child(ren) that are added on to the base child support amount. Mandatory child support add-ons typically involve childcare so that either parent may work or obtain job training (schooling). Childcare is typically paid to a licensed childcare provider rather than a family member. The court can either factor the childcare costs into a child support order or each party can be ordered to pay child care directly to the childcare provider. Although childcare is the most frequently used mandatory child support add-on, there may be other re-occurring monthly expenses that may be incurred for the benefit of the minor children. For example, if a child has re-occurring medical costs such as asthma treatments, prescription medications, ongoing medical treatments or counseling, the court can treat these additional expenditures as well.

As a general rule, child support add-ons are split equally between the parties. For example, if one parent pays childcare of $600 per month, then the court will split this expense such that each party is responsible to pay either $300 to the other parent or the childcare provider. However, the Court may deviate from this equal division if there is a substantial difference in the parent’s respective incomes. In these cases, the court may apportion the child support add-on differently between the parties (60%/40% or 70%/30%).

Discretionary child support add-ons are just that, “discretionary”. Extra-curricular activities, summer camp, sports & braces.